Life

Amanda Shaw: "You Don't Have to Do it Alone"

This South African mom and entrepreneur is aiming for a slot to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, 2020.

by Siya Ndzimande

With 1,800 women competing in this year’s IRONMAN South Africa’s triathlon events, compared to 2017’s IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 South African season where 1,600 women took part, it's clear the sport of triathlon is growing rapidly among women in the country. One of these courageous women is local entrepreneur and mother of two, Amanda Shaw.

Shaw shares her passion for the sport: "I just love being part of the culture, the people and the discipline that triathlon teaches you. Often, I tell people I have done IRONMAN and they ask if I mean IRONGIRL, and I say no, I have done IRONMAN! They look at me and say really? And I say yes."

For Shaw, the triathlon bug bit in 2010 when she entered the Isuzu Corporate Triathlon Challenge powered by Algoa FM. "I did the 18km cycle in a team of three...on a mountain bike worth R800 and just a pair of takkies, no cleats whatsoever." The following year she entered the IRON GIRL Series and did the 8km run.

Then, it was time to try a longer distance. "When I started off, I couldn’t swim, I could only doggy paddle and I was terrified of open water swimming. Now I can confidently get into the water – I am not the fastest swimmer, but I get the job done. I am glad they have introduced the rolling starts, I used to be terrified out there when it was a mass start. It’s also much better for the first timers who are super nervous for the swim, the rolling starts helps everyone in my opinion."

Shaw's IRONMAN journey began in 2012 when she registered for both the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa in Buffalo City and Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay. She unfortunately missed the bike cut off time in both races. "I was devastated. I was new to cycling and both bike courses are tough. I was not going to give up, so I entered both again the following year," she says. She went on to finish both races in 2013 and has finished five IRONMAN and seven IRONMAN 70.3 events to date.

"Triathlon is a lifestyle," Shaw continues. "It’s a lifestyle of being fit, of being disciplined and building strong friendships with strangers who become friends. I have done a total of 12 IRONMAN branded events and did the Standard Bank 5150 Nelson Mandela Bay twice. I started off not being able to swim, not knowing how to ride a bike, being a mother of two and running my own business. If you had told me 8 years ago that I would have completed five IRONMAN races, I would have laughed at you. There are plenty of people out there who can help you achieve whatever goals you have in my mind; you don’t have to do it alone."

In 2018, Shaw made the podium in her age group category (55-59) for the first time at the Standard Bank 5150 Nelson Mandela Bay which takes place at Kings Beach. This year she's be gunning to be the first women to cross the finish line in her age group category, but she knows this won’t be easy. Like South African professional triathlete, Annah Watkinson, she too has the struggle of fitting in her training schedule in between her responsibilities of having a full-time job: "If I had more time, if I did not have a business, I would most definitely do better by being on the podium regularly – it’s just hard to juggle everything. I am in the surgical and medical industry, so I travel a lot and on top of that I have two kids to look after. It’s tough but I am just so passionate about the sport; I absolutely love it. I just love the triathlon culture."

Shaw was also lucky enough to participate in the prestigious 2018 Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship which took place on African soil for the very first time. She won an IRONMAN 4 the Kidz Charity Slot for this pinnacle event, "It was an amazing experience to participate in this event (in my home country). To be part of something this massive in your own backyard was a dream come true."

What keeps Shaw coming back to these IRONMAN events? She explains, "it’s the whole vibe, the atmosphere is electric, the crowds that come out to support is something to behold when they are chanting your name on the side of the road. You earn respect when people see you wearing an IRONMAN bag or wearing an IRONMAN finisher-shirt and the events are well run from the start to finish. I am over the moon that the city has kept the Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay.

"Women For Tri, a program of the IRONMAN Foundation, recently announced that a total of 500 additional women will earn an invitation to race in the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place in Taupо̄, New Zealand on November 28-29, 2020. Slots will be awarded to top finishing female athletes at 20 select races worldwide (which the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa is one of them). The additional slots will be put to use by Women For Tri, launched by IRONMAN in 2015, to welcome and empower new female triathletes to be a part of the sport's continued growth in high-level competition.

Following the standard IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship rolldown ceremony at the 20 select races, 25 additional slots will be awarded to the next most qualified women, proportional by age group, creating a deeper field of female athletes while maintaining the integrity and prestige of an IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship event. Shaw will be hoping to grab one of these slots on Sunday, 26 January 2020, when she takes on the Standard Bank IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa in Buffalo City.